Folding ironing board



April 20, 1954 J. J. TOTH FOLDING IRONING BOARD Filed Feb. 19, 1948 John \fi Ta 'z ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 20, 1954 r OFFICE FOLDING IRONING BOARD Application February 19, 1948, Serial No. 9,548

(Ci. 38-l17 12 Claims. 1

This invention'relates toan improvement in ironing boards, especially of the type adapted to fold together to a compact form.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved ironing board of simple and economical construction, having a foldable table and legs formed of articulated sections which can be folded within the table when the latter is folded together.

Another object is to provide foldable articulated supporting sections forv an ironing board of the aforesaid type wherein downward force on the table tends to hold the supporting sections in rigidly extended position.

Still another object of the invention is to pro- Vide an ironing board having cross oar reinforced, paired legs, and having automatic means for spreading said legs apart when they are being extended, thereby toincrease the stability of the board whilein use.

In accordance with my invention the foregoing objects are-accomplished by constructing an ironing board with a table having two hollow leaves of substantially equal length, which can be folded together at a transverse hinge; and supporting means comprising a plurality of articulated legs which can be folded and contained within the hollow portions of the leaves so to be enclosed thereby when the two leaves are folded together. One featureof the invention is the provision of foldable support means, comprising a plurality of articulated legs constructed. with knee joints i. e. hinges bendable in direction only to collapse the legs, and comprising foldable braces or struts for holding the legs in divergent position when extended for use, the lower portions of the legs folding inward or toward the vertical at the knee joints so that downward pressure transmitted from the table to the legs tends to hold the latter in rigidly extended position. Another feature of the invention is the provision of an extensible cross bar joining a pair of legs, and means carried by the cross bar for urging the same to extended position to spread the legs apart, thereby result ing in a compact and sturdy structure, and lend ing added stability to the ironing board when use. The cross bar is retractable to permit the legs to be moved inward so that'they can be folded within the cavity of a leaf of the table.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood more readily from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in 2 connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view ofxthe ironing board of my invention, setup for use.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view. of theironing board folded. together for travelingor storage.

3 is a side elevation of the-ironing board, set up for use, with one side of the table cut away to show the underlying structuregthe position of the legs during the folding operation being indicated by dotted lines.

is a side elevation of the ironing board, similar to Fig. 3, but wherein the legs are completely folded within the ironing table.

Fig. 5 is a detail, partly sectionedtorthe cross bar joining the rear legs.

Fig. 6 is a detail in front elevation: of a bifurcated junction in the front leg and a supporting brace therefor.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section along the line 1-'! Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a detail showing in elevation the cooperable parts of the knee joints of the legs, and

Fig. 9 is a detail in'section' of an assembled knee joint.

As shown inthe drawings, the ironing board of my invention comprises a table made up of two hollow leaves it! and l I of substantially equal length, open at the underside thereof. The leaves to and H include flat horizontaltop portions it and 53 forming an ironingsurface'and vertical side walls i l and l5-in the'form' of depending fianges extending downward from the flat top portions to'form a pair of squat box-like structures with downwardly facing inner cavi- The leaves lt'and ll may beaadvantageously formed of sheet metal, or of plywood or other suitable material and the top portions 52 and it can be perforated if desired to facilidissipation of steam during ironing. Pref erably the rear leaf I6 is substantiallyrectangular, while the front leaf H is tapered: to a blunt nose 5% as is usual in ironing. boards. The abutting flanges ii and [8 of the leaves!!! and l! are. folded to form "triangular sections as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and are joined at their owcr portions by a hinge I9 e. g. a piano hinge, 0 that the leaves can be folded-together with heir hollow undersurfaces facingeachrothenas .hown in Fig. 2,'and opened for useas shown in igs. l and 3. abutmentof the'fianges I l and I8 securely holding the leaves in extended position with their-top portions forming a single plane surface for ironing.

' Foldablesupport-means for the ironing: board comprises a plurality of legs which can be advantageously made of metal having a hollow square section, for example, a pair of legs being attached to the rear leaf I5 adjacent the rear end and on the flanges l4 thereof, and a single leg being attached to the front leaf N.

In accordance with my invention, rear legs "20 each include an upper section 21 and a lower section 22 of substantially equal length, joined at a hinge 23, the adjacent ends of sections 2! and 22 abutting each other at the hinge when the legs are extended for use, the hinge thus forming a knee joint, bendable only in one direction to collapse the legs.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, each hinge 23 comprises mating hinge parts 23a and 23b the shanks of which extend longitudinally into the hollows of the leg sections 2! and 22, and preferably said shanks and leg sections are welded together to provide a permanent, rigid assembly. ihe hinge parts 23a and 23b are pivotally connected together by a pintle 230. The upper ends 24 of the legs 29 are flattened and secured by pivots 25 to the inside of the flanges M of the rear leaf I 5, adjacent the rear end thereof.

A cross bar '25 joins the lower sections 22 of legs 2%. The cross bar is preferably formed of telescopic sections to be extensible, and comprises two relatively movable parts 2? and 28 slidably connected together as by engagement of a rod 29 on the end of part 28 slidably inserted into a bore 30 extending inwardly in part 2? from the end thereof. Stop means is provided for limiting the relative telescopic movement of parts 2! and 28, comprising, for example, a transverse pin 3! on bar 29, slidable between the ends of a transverse slot 32 in part 2?, intermediate the ends of the bore 39. A compression spring 33 bears against a shoulder 35 at the inner end of bar 29 and against the end of part 27, urging parts 21 and 28 to extended position. By virtue of the spring 33, the cross bar 26 automatically spreads the lower ends of legs 26 to divergent position so as to provide added stability in supporting the rear end of the ironing board during use.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the lower sections 22 of legs 26 fold inward and upward against upper sections 2! about hinges 23, and the legs when folded are pivotally movable about their upper ends 24 to the position shown in Fig. 4 within the cavity. When thus folded, they are completely received within the hollow interior of leaf Iii. In order to accommodate the lower part of the leg structure to the width of the interior cavity of the leaf iii, cross bar 26 is longitudinally compressible against the pressure of spring 33 sufficiently to render legs 25!- parallel. When the legs are folded within the cavity, the pressure of the spring 33 urges the legs against the inner surfaces of the flanges l4 of leaf it, thus tending by reason of the increased frictional engagement of the legs with said surfaces, to retain the legs within the cavity.

In order to hold the legs 25 in extended position for use, a strut 35 is pivotally attached at one end, e. g. by means of a bracket 36, to the underside of the top portion I 2 of leaf l0 adjacent the hinge l9, and the other end of the strut is pivotally attached to the cross bar 26. Strut 35 comprises two sections 35 and 39 joined at a hinge 36, to form a toggle which can be bent upwardly as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The hinge 4B is similar to the hinges 23 described above. When the strut 35 and legs 20 are extended as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the legs slant outward or rearward from the end of leaf i0, so that pressure transmitted from the ironing board to the legs tends to urge the abutting ends of sections 2! and 22 of the legs against each other, holding the knee joint at hinges 23 in rigid, extended position.

In order to permit folding of the legs 23 within the leaf II], the hinge 48 is arranged to break upwardly as shown. in Fig. 3, the section 38 pivoting about the bracket until it rests against the underside of the top portion I2 of leaf I6, while section 39 of the strut 35 folds inwardly against the section 38 to the position shown in Fig. The distance between the pivots 25 and brackets 36, and the lengths of the leg sections 2!, and of the strut sections 38 and 39 are so arranged that the legs can fold to the position shown in Fig. 4 with the folded strut positioned behind the a.

To enable this to ibe accomplished, the cross bar 26 is connected at its ends to the legs at by plates 26a, thereby causing the bar to be offset inwardly therefrom as clearly shown in Figs. 1. and 3.

The pivotal connection between the strut section 39 and the cross bar 26 is accomplished as follows: The lower end 3912 of the strut section 35 is flattened and apertured. lhe part 2? of the cross bar is formed of two portion 27c and 212), the latter having a rod-like extension 210 passing through the aperture in the end 3960 of the strut section 39, and fitting into a bore Zia? in the portion 21a. A pin 21c secures the portions 2 1a and 27b together, leaving space between them as shown in Fig. 5 to accommodate the apertured strut end 39a.

The front leaf ll of the ironing board is supported by a single leg 4! comprising a lower section @2 and an upper forked section #3, the latter comprising, for example, a Y-shaped junction member 44, a stem 55 and a pair of arms @504 the upper ends of which are pivotally attached at it to the flanges i5 of the leaf I I adjacent the inner hinged end thereof. Sections 42 and :33 of the leg 41 are joined at a hinge 41 forming a knee joint by abutment of the ends of said sections in the same manner as in legs 28, the hinge d? be ing similar to the hinges if? and 23. The lower section E2 of leg M folds inward about the hinge 4'! as indicated in Fig. 3, so that the two sections when folded together can be swung upward about pivot 45 to a position within the cavity at the underside of leaf II.

To support the leg di in extended position, articulated braces #38 are pivotally attached by a bracket 49 to the underside of the top portion 93 of the leaf I i adjacent the nose 55 thereof, the opposite or lower ends of the braces being pivotally pin-connected to the leg section 5-2 intermediate the ends thereof. Each brace as com-- prises upper and lower sections 5% and Si respectively, which are pivotally connected together by a pin 52. The adjacent pin-connected ends of the brace sections 50 and have portions iiiia and 5m which are offset to abut each other an form a knee joint whereby said sections may be swung about the pins 52 toward each other in one direction only, to collapse the braces.

When the front leg Qi is extended position, it projects outwardly or forwardly from the leaf I I in an angular position diverging from the legs 20, with the h nge 4? on the inner or underside of the leg, so that 7 pressure transmitted from the ironing board tends to hold the knee joint formed by said hinge in rigid, extended position.

In order to fold the front leg within the cavity of theleaf- I Lthe lower sectionl lz is folded inwardly andupwardlyas indicated in-l ig. 3 about the hinge t1 and against the upper section 43. and the braces 48 are simultaneouslyfolded up- Ward toward-theunder surface-of the top por tion l3 of leaf H, whereupon the folded sections 22 and #3 of the leg-M will be automatically moved upwardly about the pivot .46 to the position shown in'Fig. 4, within the hollow under portion of the leaf 1 i.

The junctionnrember 44 has a pin l lc which guides the brace sections 553- during thecollapsing of the brace 48 and leg 4!, as shown in Fig. 3.

- When both sets-of leg structures are folded within the leaves is and H, the leaves can be folded together: to the position showniin Fig. 2 for convenient storing ortransportation thereof. Av handle 53 may be provided, for example on the flange IA of the leaf [0, to facilitate carrying the ironing board.

It will be seen that the ironing board of my invention constitutes a simple and-economical structure, adapted to be conveniently manufactured and manipulated, characterized by stability when set up for use, and foldable to a. compact form convenient for storing or transportation when traveling.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be-used without others.

I claim:

1. An ironing board comprising front and rear leaves and a substantially central transverse hinge connecting the leaves to enable them to fold together with their under surfaces juxtaposed, each of said leaves having a cavity on its underside, support means for the rear leaf of the board comprising a pair of legs pivotally attached to opposite sidesof said leaf adjacent its outer end and within the cavity there two-part, telescopic extensible cross bar j said legs adjacent their lower ends, said cross bar when extendedholding said legs in mutually divergent position and being longitudina corn pressible to render said legs substantially parallel; resilient means on said crossbar, normally urging said cross bar to extended positions, said legs being foldable within said cavity when the cross bar is compressed; and tension means comprising an articulated strut foldable within said i cavity behind the legs when the latter are folded therein, for holding the legs inextended posi to support the ironing board, said strut pivoting on said leaf and fastening to said. cross ban 2. An ironing board comprising front and rear leaves joined at a substantially central transverse hinge on the underside of the board, each of said leaves having a. cavity on its underside, said leaves folding together at the hinge with their undersides juxtaposed; support means for the rear leaf of the board comprising a pairof legs pivotally attached atopposite sides of said rear leaf adjacent its outer end. and within the cavity thereof; atwo-part, telescopicextensible cross bar joining said. legs adjacent .theirlow'er ends, said cross bar when extendediholdingthe legs in mutually divergent position and being longitudinally compressible to render said legs substantially parallel; resilientv means on the cross bar normally urging said cross bar to ex tended position; a lmee joint in each of legs substantially midway between theirrends and intermediate said cross bar. and the upper ends of the legs, at which the, lower portions of the legs fold inwardly andupwardly against the ups,

per;:po rtions thereofuthe-two portions of tireless being movable,;upon compression of the crossbar, aboutthe pivotal attachmentthereof. to; retracted position within said cavityrbrace means under tension, including a strut pivotally'attached at oneend to said cross bar and at the opposite end to the under surface. of the rear leaf within the cavity thereof adjacent the hinge between said leaves, said strut retaining said legs in a position downswung past-centerand having a toggle joint intermediateits: ends so as to fold within said cavity behind the legs when-the latter are folded at their knee-i joints and, moved pivotally upward within the cavity'of said leaf; support means for the front leaf of the ironing board, comprising a single leg bifurcated'at its upper end, said bifurcated portion being piv otally attached to the front leaf Within the cavity thereof adjacent the-inner end. of said leaf, said leg having a kneejoint-intermediate its ends, the lower portion of said leg beinginwardly foldable about said knee joint against theupper portion of leg-and the two portions'being movable about said pivot to retracted position within said cavity; and an'articulated compression brace pivotally attached atone end to the under surface of said front leaf and at the other end to the said leg for holding the leg in an angular forwardly extending position to support the front leaf when the board is in use.

3. An ironing board comprising a flat top member; a pair of articulated-two-piece legs pivotally connected to said top member and foldable from a position closely adjacent the member to an extended position-protruding from the member; a two-part cross bar connected to the lower pieces of said legs, the parts of saidbar being slidable on each other whereby the-bar is longitudinally e2;- tendabie and compressible; stcp'mea-ns on said bar to limit the extensibility thereof; and resilient means on the cross -bar,normal1y urging said cross bar to its extended position wherein the stop means are operative, said bar when extended holding the legs when the latter are extended in divergent positions to provide increased stability for the-top member.

4. An ironing board comprising a flat top member; a pair of articulated legs pivotally connected to edge portions of said tops-member foldable from a position closely adjacent the member to an extended position protruding from the member; a two-part cross bar connected to said legs, the parts of saidbar-being slidable on each other whereby the bar is longitudinally e: tendable and compressible; stop means. on said bar to limit. the extensibilitythereof; resilient means on the cross bar, normally urging said cross bar to its extended position wherein the stop means are operative, said bar when extendeclholding the legs when the latter are extended in divergent positions to provide increased stability for the top member; and means pivotally connected to said cross bar pivoting on sa, dtop ineniber andfoldable against the latter, for releasably holding the legsin extended position.

5. ,An ironing board comprising a fiat top member; av pair of articulated legs pivotally connected to edge portions oi said top member and foldable from a position. closely adjacent the member to an extended position protruding from the member; a two-part cross bar connected to saidv legs, the parts of said bar-being slidable on each other whereby thebar is longitudinally can tendableand compressible; stop means'onsaid I barwto limit the extensibilitythereof; resilient means on the cross bar, normally urging said cross bar to its extended position wherein the stop means are operative, said bar when extended holding the legs when the latter are extended in divergent positions to provide increased stability for the top member; and an articulated. brace pivotally connected to one part of the cross bar and to a center portion of the top member and foldable against said member, said brace releasably holding the legs in extended position.

6. An ironing board comprising a flat top member; a pair of legs pivotally connected to edge portions of said top member and swingable from a folded position closely adjacent the member to an extended position protruding from the member; a two-part cross bar connected to said legs, the parts of said bar being slidable on each other whereby the bar is longitudinally extendable and compressible; stop means on said bar to limit the extensibility thereof; resilient means on the cross bar, normally urging said cross bar to its extended position wherein the stop means are operative, said bar when extended holding the legs when the latter are extended in divergent positions to provide increased stability for the top member; and an articulated brace pivoted on a center portion of the top member and to the cross bar intermediate the ends of the latter, said brace being swingable from an extended position projecting from the top member to a retracted, folded position closely adjacent the top member, and said brace when extended releasably holding the legs in extended position.

7. An ironing board comprising two leaves joined at a substantially central transverse hinge on the underside of the board, each of said leaves having a cavity on its underside, said leaves folding together at the hinge with their undersides juxtaposed; a pair of separate, mutually independent leg means pivotally attached to said leaves respectively, within the cavities thereof, one of said leg means including a pair of legs and the other leg means including at least one leg and one of said leg means being attached to its leaf adjacent the hinged end thereof and the other leg means being attached to its leaf remote from the hinged end thereof, said leg means being foldable approximately halfway between their ends and being swingable when folded about their pivotal attachment to a retracted position within said cavities in the leaves of the ironing board; and bracing means foldable within said cavities for holding said leg means in extended dependent, divergent positions for use, said bracing means including a tension strut and a compression strut respectively connected with the leg means, said tension strut spanning an obtuse dihedral angle and the compression strut spanning an acute angle between the intersecting planes of their respective leg means and the leaves connected thereto.

8. An ironing board comprising two leaves joined at a substantially central transverse hinge on the underside of the board, each of said leaves having a cavity on its underside, said leaves fol ing together at the hinge with their undersides juxtaposed; a pair of separate, mutually independent leg means pivotally attached to said leaves respectively, within the cavities thereof, one of said leg means including a pair of legs and the other leg means including at least one leg and one of said means being attached to leaf adjacent the hinged end thereof and the other being attached to its leaf remote from the.

hinged end thereof, the outer portions of said leg means being foldable inwardly toward the table at knee joints disposed approximately midway between their ends; and bracing means foldable in said cavities for holding said leg means when extended in mutually divergent positions, whereby downward pressure transmitted from the ironing board to said supports tends to hold said knee joints in rigidly extended position, said bracing means including a tension strut and a compression strut respectively connected with the leg means, said tension strut spanning an obtuse dihedral angle and the compression strut spanning an acute angle between the intersecting planes of their respectiv leg means and the leaves connected thereto.

9. An ironing board comprising two leaves hingedly connected together and foldable one on the other with a space intervening; a pair of articulated legs and a cross bar interconnecting the legs, said legs being permanently pivotally connected to side portions of one of said leaves; a third articulated leg separate from said pair, permanently pivotally connected to the other leaf, all of said legs having, and being collapsible about pivots located substantially midway between their ends; and a pair of separate, mutu ally independent, articulated braces for said pair of legs and third leg respectively, said braces being permanently pivotally connected one to said cross bar and the other to said third leg and permanently pivotally connected to leaves and arranged one as a compression strut and the other as a tensionstrut, said braces when extended supporting the legs in depending, divergent positions with the leaves in opened aligned position, said tension strut lying in a plane spanning an obtuse angle and the compression strut spanning an acute angle between their respective legs and the leaves and said legs and braces being foldable to compact positions to occupy the said intervening space between the leaves when the latter are folded one on the other,

10. An ironing board comprising two leaves hingedly connected together and foldable one on the other with a space intervening; a pair of articulated legs permanently pivotally connected to side portions of one of said leaves; a third articulated leg separate from said pair, perma nently pivotally connected to the other leaf. all of said legs having, and being collapsible about pivots located substantially midway between their ends; and a pair of separate, mutually independent, means connected with said legs, said means including struts foldable in said intervening space for releasably holding the legs in depending, divergent, extended position, one of said means comprising a tension strut and the other comprising a compression strut, said legs when extended supporting the leaves in opened aligned position, and being foldable to compact positions with said means, to occupy the said intervenin space between the leaves when the latter are folded one on the other, said tension strut lying in a plane spanning an obtuse angle and the compression strut spanning an acute angle the intersecting planes of their respective and the leaves connected thereto.

11. An ironing board arranged to be supported in horizontal position comprising front and leaves and a substantially central transverse hinge connecting the leaves to enable them to fold together with their undersurfaces juxtaposed, each of said leaves having a cavity on its underside; means supporting the front leaf; support means for the rear leaf of the board comprising a pair of two-part legs pivotally attached at opposite sides of said rear leaf adjacent its back end and within the cavity thereof; a cross bar joining together the lower parts of said legs; a knee joint in each of said legs substantially midway of their ends, connecting together the two leg parts, the lower parts of the legs at said joints being foldable inwardly and upwardly against the upper parts and the two parts when folded together being movable forward and upward as a unitary assemblage of immovable parts about the pivotal attachment thereof to retracted position within said cavity; and tension means normally under a tensile working stress, for retaining the legs in a position downswung past the vertical and extended angularly rearward of the leaves to form an obtuse dihedral angle therewith, including a strut pivotally attached at one end to said cross bar and pivotally attached at the opposite end to the undersurface of said rear leaf within the cavity adjacent the hinge between said leaves, said strut being forward of the legs and having a toggle joint intermediate its ends so as to fold within the said cavity behind the legs when the latter are folded at their knee joints and moved pivotally forward and upward within the cavity of said rear leaf.

12. An ironing board comprising a fiat top member having front and rear leaves; means supporting the front end thereof; a pair of articulated legs pivotally connected to edge portions of the rear leaf of said top member at the back end thereof and swingable as a unit from a folded position closely adjacent the member to a partially extended position protruding from the member, said legs having upper and lower parts of substantially equal length hingedly connected together and foldable on each other, said leg parts when folded being swingable forward and upward as a unitary assemblage of immovable parts against the underside of the top member, and when partially extended being swingable apart to form a fully extended leg forming an obtuse dihedral angle with the top member; and means normally under tension, for bracing said legs, said means including an articulated brace pivoted on a center portion of the top member and having means pivotally connecting it to the lower parts of the legs, said brace having lower and upper parts the latter of which is more than twice the length of the lower part and being swingable from an extended position projecting from the top member to a retracted position closely adjacent the top member, and said brace when extended releasably holding the legs in downward, angularly extended position.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 78,642 Briggs 1- June 9, 1868 113,195 Nettleton Mar. 28, 1871 472,603 Hamilton Apr. 12, 1892 1,115,731 Owens Nov. 3, 1914 1,324,259 McElhinny Dec. 9, 1919 2,007,057 McNeal July 2, 1935 2,094,123 Howe Sept. 28, 1937 2,137,607 Keller Jan. 16, 1940 2,497,763 Daugherty Feb. 14, 1950 2,594,123 Cater Apr. 22, 1952 

